SkyNTP

Your logic is sound, but backwards.

Marriage is more analogous to a birthday. (A personal change in status)

Wedding is more analogous to a birthday party (i.e. the event celebrating the change in status).

As you pointed out in your logic, the birthday gift isn't really about the birthday party, just like the ring doesn't commemorate the wedding celebration, it commemorates your new marital status.

Unless of course you are the kind of person that is so focused on the wedding celebration that you forget the reason why you are celebrating to begin with (spoiler: you are making a commitment and entering a new life stage).

I think OP is on to something.

Well put.

I think the desire for a national identity (Zionism) is fundamentally at odds with peaceful coexistence with neighbouring ethnic groups. Israel is definitely at a major disadvantage here. Most other ethnic groups have a "homeland" out of sheer geo-historical inertia. Though I wouldn't call it a completely unique situation. We see the tensions arise from the protection (or lack thereof) of national identity all over the world to lesser degrees, especially as globalization creeps in.

And I can empathize with groups that feel marginalized because of it. Though I think letting it boil over into violence is definitely a step too far.

Besides, geography as a means of cultural protectionism may be an outdated idea. We can't underestimate the importance of soft power for spreading cultural influence, and being in a state of constant conflict does not further that goal.

In summary, I think Israel's actions are rational at a tactical level, but ultimately fail to address the big picture you lay out.

LLMs == AGI was and continues to be a massive lie perpetuated by tech companies and investors that people still have not woken up to.

Not like this. Not like this.

Independent creators need some sort of protection from giant corporations.

"Conservative" means... to conserve. You (and everyone) gets more conservative as they age because you kinda want to conserve the status quo you, personally are used to.

Here's the thing: with social progress, what you want to conserve is different from what the generation before the progress wants to preserve.

You are a conservative, as in conserving, of the progress that we have achieved. The "conservatives" you refer to, the "political right", are not conservative. They are regressives, the opposite of progressives (though they might not like the connotation of that label, and will denounce it). These people would like to regress society to a time when these members of society had more consolidation of power (feudalism, fascism, racist/sexist segregation). Nothing "conservative" about that in terms of a human lifetime. In fact none of those people were around to experience what feudalism, fascism, segregation etc. was actually like. Many of these people may have been sold a lie by the 1% for the exclusive benefit of the 1%.

GDPR gave us the cookie banner that both consumers and website owners hate. Legislation absolutely can affect change.

If in doubt, trill periodically back into a tunnel so you have an escape route.

I suppose the perspective is relative. Frequent cancellations of trains is bad, but not as bad as no PT at all, as is all too common in US.

Non-boomer here, I hate squirrels.

If you try to grow your own vegetables, you too will come to hate squirrels. I promise. Ageism need not apply to squirrel hate or vegetable enthusiasm.

Thank you for contributing to make the fediverse a more interesting place.

I think the MAGA movement has convinced itself they are all upper class, or at least temporarily embarrassed millionaires.

They are "regressives".